“Don’t panic”

Most of you will recognize that as a critical maxim from The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy. It’s also what to do if you comments don’t appear straightaway on the S&G site. In our new setup they won’t post immediately — not because of the Comment-Eating Server — due to one of the security protocols on WordPress. All comments go into a “moderation” holding pattern and then are approved, one by one.

While this may result in a loss of immediate gratification, it does guarantee one thing: Spammers will now be barred at the door. Just think of WordPress as a nightclub bouncer and spam messages as so many douchebags wearing Christian Audigier apparel.

Also: We’ve received “pro” and “con” votes on the new typeface, which I’ll admit to liking because I don’t have to squint to read it. As for opening pictures at full size in new windows or tabs, I’ll look into that. It depends on A) whether it’s feasible with WordPress and B) how much more coding that will entail, especially if it’s me who has to input it. What we’ve got now isn’t ideal but it’s shaping up as a huge improvement on what we had before.

The show we’ll be seeing tonight.

The show we wish we’ll be seeing.

I’ve been getting e-mails about Australian terpsichorean phenom Kym Johnson ever since her red-carpet appearance at Wayne Newton‘s Once Before I Go opening (tonight) was announced. Ms. Johnson, for those of you who have been watching Monday Night Football or the CBS comedy block, is Donny Osmond‘s partner on Dancing with the Stars. The duo seems — knock wood — exceptionally likely to make it to the final round and probably win. (Kym is very popular and has never taken home the Mirrorball Trophy, so sentiment is in her corner.) Now, I could post bikini photos of Kym, but that would be cruel, so instead …

… here’s a foretaste of what we hope to see on the red carpet tonight. That, obviously, is Cheryl “The Body” Burke on the right, though Kym’s none too shabby in the curvature department, is she?

Tonight will also provide an opportunity to check out the new bells and whistles at the Tropicana Las Vegas‘ Tiffany Theater. It was already looking pretty spiffed up when the Wayner held his press conference. Now we’ll find out how good the revamped audio and video systems are. Sam Nazarian, up at the Sahara, might take a hint or two from Alex Yemenidjian and spring for — at the very least — a new showroom curtain. The one I saw last week was so tattered and frayed it would embarrass a high school.